


the evening star

by fleurami



Category: Future Card Buddyfight
Genre: Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Death, Minor Character Death, because i cant survive writing anything purely sad, i guess, with a happy ending tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 11:45:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14736366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurami/pseuds/fleurami
Summary: lone·lyˈlōnlēadjectivenot being in the company of others





	the evening star

_ “We need you to stay here, Tasuku. Don’t go outside for anything or anyone.” A swift, firm kiss pressed to his forehead and arms wrapped around his small frame. _ __  
  


_ “M-mom… Dad… P-please.” _

_ His gentle grasp on the front of their shirts wasn’t strong enough to keep them from leaving. _

  
  


            His feet pounded against the ground, propelling him forward. He couldn’t think of where he was going, his mind was too focused on the intense pain he felt all over his body. His chest was burning hot from the exertion of running, his limbs were icy cold from the snowy mountains, and his throat was raw from his exasperated screaming. 

            He swung his head around wildly, searching for the monster that had ripped his house apart from over his head. He was greeted only by the sight of a mountain range. Snow-topped trees were scattered around, but it seemed like any nearby wildlife was gone.

            They all probably had the same idea as him: run as far as you can and hope that whatever’s chasing you is slower. 

            Tasuku felt the adrenaline leave his body as the exhaustion took over. He sank to his knees, letting the rocks pierce them and dig into his skin. It didn’t matter, he was already suffering through so much pain already.

            He opened his mouth to shout for his parents again, but nothing came out. He tried again. Again.  _ Again.  _ He didn’t stop when his hands hit the ground. He couldn’t stop when his head landed with a  _ thud.  _ It was only when his vision started to darken and he fell unconscious that his desperate, silent pleas for his parents stopped. 

 

            When his eyes opened, he was still on the snowy ground, face pressed into the rocky earth. He tried to sit up into a kneeling position, but fell forward. 

            Picking the small, jagged pieces of rock from his palms, he felt the tears well up in his eyes again.

            More tears came, and soon his whole body was shaking from the force of his sobbing. 

            He was alone, hurt, and terrified of what was to come. 

            He didn’t know where his parents were, where he could go, and if he was going to survive another minute.

            His tears started to freeze on his own face. He flinched at the pain caused by this.  _ Even more pain.  _ He rubbed at his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. Letting out uneven, ragged breaths, he repressed the tears. 

            Shakily, he pushed his upper body up with his elbows, propping himself up somewhat. 

            “Mom?”

            The wind howled in his ears, off in the distance he thought he heard the sound of a bird squawking.

            “Dad?” 

            The ringing in his ears grew exponentially as he exerted more effort. His body was aching, absolutely exhausted of all energy. He wished so badly for someone to be by his side. Anyone. 

            A twig snapped in the distance, and Tasuku’s body moved on instinct. He quickly pulled himself up off the ground, flinging his body forward as fast as he could. He made it to a cliff’s edge on pure adrenaline. He found a bush to hide behind, waiting for the moment when an illegal monster would pop out from behind a rock to grab him and rip him apart, like he saw happen to so many of his friends and neighbors while running away.

            _He ran away while they were in trouble to save himself._

            Tasuku sat there for what felt like an eternity, his body paralyzed by fear. Soon though, he relaxed. Tasuku looked up at the sky, noticing the first star of the night had just appeared.

            “I want someone… I want someone to help me.” He muttered, his voice raspy and worn-out. Tasuku didn’t care when his body hit the ground again, he just looked at the star one last time before letting himself knock out again.

 

            This time when he awoke, it was different. He felt smooth, cool scales touching his skin, and there was something soft resting on top of him.  _ A blanket? _

            His brain almost passed over the scales, but when he realized that there was a monster near him, he didn’t stop the scream from ripping from his throat.

            “Sh, everything is fine. I wouldn’t hurt you.” The dragon above him had a hand ( _ claw?)  _ placed on Tasuku’s head. He seemed to be gently rubbing it, perhaps in an attempt to soothe the blue-haired boy. “I promise, I’m not an illegal monster.” 

            Tasuku’s breathing leveled out as the dragon continued to pet his head.

            “Can you talk?” Tasuku nodded in response. “Then, can you tell me your name?”

            “I-I’m Tasuku.” He hoped the dragon could hear his whispers, he wasn’t sure he had the energy to try any harder than that.

            “You can call me Jack.” 

            Tasuku nodded his head, gently so as to not further the pounding he felt in his brain.

            Jack looked down at him, and gave him a smile. In that moment, Tasuku realized something important.  Something that would  motivate him years down the road. Something that would comfort him when things felt bleak.

            He wouldn’t be alone anymore. 

            Somehow, despite all of the pain that wracked his body and wrenched his heart, he found himself smiling back up at Jack.

            “Now, Tasuku. I have a question for you.”

 

_ “What do you desire?” _

_ “Uh, I want to help people.” _


End file.
